Contecon Manzanillo Moves Record 4,000 Containers in Two Days

Container terminal operator CONTECON Manzanillo set a new landside operational record by moving nearly 4,000 import containers via motor transport over a two-day period on Aug. 20 and 21.

Operating at the Specialized Container Terminal II (TEC II) in Mexico's principal container port, the terminal evacuated an average of 2,000 containers every 24 hours. Terminal officials attributed the volume spike to infrastructure investments made since 2023, expanded cargo pickup windows, improved modulation and service processes, and close coordination with the Manzanillo Customs Office.

A core driver of the record throughput was the implementation of the "24/2" customs schedule, which extends continuous customs operations for 24 consecutive hours from Thursday through Friday. The extended schedule widens the time window for motor carriers to schedule cargo pickups, allowing truck drivers to maintain continuous operations without concentrating departures into narrow timeframes or idling while waiting for customs facilities to reopen.

"Reaching this record demonstrates that the investments and changes we have made at CONTECON are paying off. We have strengthened our operational capacity and, at the same time, worked in a coordinated manner with the Manzanillo Customs Office to speed up the clearance of goods. This allows us to handle larger volumes of cargo and be more efficient as part of the logistics chain," said José Antonio Contreras, CEO, CONTECON Manzanillo.

The operational adjustment comes as port fluidities faced challenges earlier in the summer. According to the Port Motor Transport Average Time Indicator (ITPAP) compiled by T21 Business Intelligence, the average time required for a truck to enter the Port of Manzanillo, pick up import cargo, and exit increased from 5 hours, 34 minutes, and 16 seconds at the end of June to 12 hours, 50 minutes, and 27 seconds in July—a difference of 7 hours, 16 minutes, and 11 seconds.

During that period, customs processing times rose from 2:43:36 to 6:11:30 hours, maneuvering times increased from 1:12:56 to 2:45:48 hours, and wait times expanded from 1:37:43 to 3:53:08 hours.

Following the schedule expansion, CONTECON reported that its appointment compliance rate has remained above 95% since week 31, aligning container clearance closely with truck arrivals to improve yard rotation and terminal fluidities.

"A flexible and continuous customs operation, in coordination with the terminal, has a direct and positive impact on the logistics chain. We will continue to seek improvements and solutions that translate into better times for carriers and a more efficient operation," Contreras said.

According to figures from the National Port System Administration (Asipona) Manzanillo, CONTECON Manzanillo handled 1,022,181 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during the first seven months of the year, representing a 20.1% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

Looking ahead, the terminal projects it will move approximately 9,800 weekly containers via motor transport. This target represents a 20% increase over its weekly average recorded in 2025.